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Exit Ventures
Exit Ventures is the Holladay, Utah-based family office of Jeff Sokol, deploying capital from the Mrs. Fields' Cookies sale into early-stage companies.
Exit Ventures
Exit Ventures is the family office of Jeffrey D. Sokol, established following the successful sale of Mrs. Fields' Cookies, the baked-goods franchise he co-led to national scale. Based in Holladay, Utah, the firm operates as a single-family office managing the Sokol family's private capital, with a focus on direct investments in private companies rather than fund commitments. The firm targets early-stage and growth-stage companies, allocating across enterprise software, consumer products, and healthcare services. Geographic focus skews toward Intermountain West and broader US opportunities, though the firm does not publicize a formal mandate. Known portfolio holdings are not systematically disclosed, but public records confirm positions in technology-enabled service businesses. The office emphasizes concentrated, long-duration positions and avoids fund-of-funds structures. Exit Ventures operates with a lean team anchored by Jeff Sokol as President. The firm maintains a low public profile and does not publish AUM, deployment figures, or staff headcount. No adjacent philanthropic foundations, real-asset arms, or co-investor clubs are publicly associated with the entity. The family's operational legacy in franchising and consumer brands continues to inform its investment thesis around scalable, asset-light business models. Structurally, the firm is notable for its geographic isolation from traditional venture ecosystems. Operating from Utah rather than Sand Hill Road or Park Avenue gives the office a sourcing lens weighted toward overlooked founders in the Mountain West — a genuine structural differentiator in a market where most family offices cluster in major coastal cities.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Holladay
Corporate office
Holladay, UT, United States
Principals
Jeffrey D. Sokol
President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Exit Ventures?
Jeffrey D. Sokol serves as President and is the primary decision-maker for Exit Ventures. His operating background includes co-leading Mrs. Fields' Cookies to a national franchise footprint and executing its sale, giving him direct P&L experience in consumer and franchising models. The firm does not list additional investment partners or an investment committee structure publicly.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The Sokol family wealth originates from the sale of Mrs. Fields' Cookies, the branded cookie and baked-goods franchise founded by Debbi Fields and later acquired. Jeff Sokol was instrumental in scaling the business as a franchise operation before the exit. The proceeds of that sale form the capital base that Exit Ventures deploys today.
Does Exit Ventures participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Exit Ventures focuses on direct investments in private companies. There is no public evidence of the firm participating in fund-of-funds commitments, acting as a limited partner in venture funds, or engaging in club-deal structures. The office appears to prefer concentrated, direct equity positions in operating businesses.
How does Exit Ventures source proprietary deal flow?
The firm's sourcing model benefits from its location in Holladay, Utah, which provides access to the growing technology and healthcare services ecosystem in the Intermountain West — a region often underserved by coastal venture funds. Additionally, Sokol's franchise-operating background generates inbound opportunities from consumer and multi-unit business founders. The office does not publicize intermediary relationships or sourcing partners.
Is Exit Ventures structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Exit Ventures is structured as a single family office managing the Sokol family's private capital. It does not accept outside investors, charge management fees, or operate under a fund structure with a defined investment period. While its investment activity resembles early-stage venture, the legal and operational architecture is that of a permanent-capital family office — meaning it can hold positions longer than a traditional venture fund's lifecycle.
What investment stages does Exit Ventures typically target?
The firm targets early-stage and growth-stage companies, though it does not publish stage-specific check sizes or revenue thresholds. The permanent-capital structure allows Exit Ventures to participate across multiple funding rounds within the same portfolio company rather than being confined to a single entry point. Specific stage demarcations — seed vs. Series A vs. growth equity — are not publicly defined.
Which sectors does Exit Ventures explicitly avoid?
Exit Ventures has not published a formal exclusion list. However, based on observable portfolio patterns and Sokol's operating background, the firm does not appear to participate in deep-tech, biotech, or capital-intensive infrastructure plays. Its focus remains on asset-light business models in software, consumer, and services — sectors where Sokol's franchising and brand-scaling expertise provides operational leverage.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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